smoking regression at 14 months, still breastfeeding, pls shoot me now

[turbulenteddy]

I have always been a bit of a smoker, but stopped when I discovered I was pregnant. I have enjoyed breastfeeding all this time (14 months) and baby shows no signs of stopping. However, I just accidentally started smoking again (thought I'd try one for old times sake, never imagined it would return as a habit). nb. I'm smoking outside not in presence of baby. Still I know that some of the toxins will pass into the milk and I feel awful about it. Not awful enough to make myself stop though it seems. Would ds be better off being weaned than having milk from a smoker at this age? Has this happened to anyone else here? Can anyone talk me into stopping again?

No - am pretty sure that has been said on here that the benefits to you and him of breastfeeding outweigh the scant passage of toxins via breast milk.

Good idea to try and juggle so that not having a cigarette immediately before a feed, and to wear smoking clothes i.e. a coat so that the smoke doesn't linger on your clothes.

I've smoked and breastfed. There. I've said it. But I was pretty careful to try and limit fags to nighttime when dc asleep. And during day not to smoke immediately before a feed.

Apparently not, from what I understand - breastmilk trumps most things but certainly some of the toxins will pass through to the milk so it's really not going to do your baby any good. And they stick on your clothes and skin, and in your airways and pass to him that way, too :(

I don't know what to say to encourage you to stop though :( But you sound like you really want to - would the usual routes (GP support thingies) be any good? I'm sorry, I've never smoked and just don't know :( :(

Much sympathy and support, for what it's worth.

What pooka said.

Another tack... I stopped in February 2009 and by August of that year I had saved enough £ to pay for flights and the rent on a flat in Mallorca for two weeks. Health is the most important consideration but hey, anything that might help. You could maybe employ a cleaner on the money you save...

Thanks for the replies

I am already trying to avoid smoking before feeds, and try to wear a smoking jacket
I don't really smoke enough for there to be much of a financial incentive

I was hoping for more of a roasting to be honest

think i'm going to try a hypnotist or similar

LOL turbulent

Frankly, I can't see how I could "roast" you given that I don't understand the pull of cigarettes. I don't understand why anyone would want to breathe in that foul smelling dangerous smoke, the smell of which lingers on the clothes, hair and breath of smokers. Clearly whatever the reasons are that people smoke it must be pretty powerful to be worth all that, and the health risks to you and those around you. So who am I to "roast"?

Good luck with quitting. You will do it :)

Hypnotist a good idea.

I'm going to ask for champix (think that's what it's called) from gp after Christmas. Worked very well for my hairdresser. I have rubbish self control. But it can't be taken while breastfeeding, and ds2 has finally weaned at 2.2 years (so was only on one feed of an evening for about the last year) so no excuses any more. Patches make me vomit because they seem much stronger than I need because don't smoke much. Ditto the gum.

You don't need a roasting. You know it's not great. But equally you probably know that it isn't the worst thing in the world either. Not like you're smoking while actually breastfeeding I.e. babe is latched on, and if you are smoking then just be aware of things you can do to mitigate or lessen the harm I.e. smoking jacket and timings.

I've reached the end of m happy relationship with smoking. I want to not smoke but am going to need some help - which m lovely gp says she's happy to provide when I'm ready and when not breastfeeding any more. 2012 is going to be the year of the new non smoking me.

Pooka :) Very best with that.

I'm glad I don't understand how hard it is to quit (having never started) but I'm not without my (seriously bad for your health) vices myself and I have the utmost respect for those who can move away from whatever their specific vice is.

As for me, "must try harder"...

Teddy: just stop fucking smoking fgs.

Come on, do it now, do it before you have another baby and HAVE to give up AGAIN.

Precisely what sort of pleasure are those cigarettes you are having outside in the cold and dark giving you? Get a grip and don't be so bloody silly.

Do you still want to be a smoker at 40, 50, 60? No you don't, so give up now woman!

teddy me too. wow! I've said it.

I bloody hate it and did the classic thing of only 1, then 2 and now it's 5-7 a day and I'm sick of it, but I'm hooked again. I never smoke when I'm out and have a smoking jacket, wash hands after etc

but, it's not good enough. i so didn't want to be a smoker again. I barely missed it or noticed it when i'd stopped, so why did i end up here again?

If you want hand holding, mutual telling off and a quitting partner, I'm your buddy.

we could quit. couldn't we?

pooka, I had a friend who quit with champix, she's smoking again now but she probably would have done however she'd stopped. hope you have better luck

organiccarrotcake, with a name like that i find it hard to believe that you could any vices more unhealthy than cream cheese :D

baubleybobbityhat, thanks for that!

bornsicky, you sound like you're in exactly the same position as me. A quitting partner would be great. As I recall it's only the first three days that are hard, once you've done that you're over the worst. I've made it to 9pm a couple of times this week and then only had one, but slipped back again to three or four. I reckon if I can get to 9pm I should be able to get through the whole day, then another and another, and then I might be back to feeling smug about not really missing it... Right?

I quit a few years ago using one of those inhaler thingies that look a bit like smoking a tampon but it really worked, not least because I looked like such a divvy that I didn't want anyone seeing me with it I public

Just remember that each time you give in and have even 1 fag, the 3 days of feeling like you would kill for another starts all over again. I tried to just think of each 1 rather than giving up completely eg I won't have this 1, but if I really want 1 in an hour I can have 1 then. Then think the same an hour down the line!!

turbulenteddy sadly, no. In fact, I'm typing this while scoffing a pain au chocolat.

Turbulent - I remember exactly that feeling about getting to 9pm. When I was giving up I'd go to bed really really early to avoid temptation in the evenings (although, on reflection I'm not really sure how that worked, as I used to smoke in bed, too. GROSS!)

Would shock tactics work? Look at your little one. Now imagine him needing his mummy and you're not there. Enough incentive?